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Prosciutto Pasta is an elegant pasta recipe made with prosciutto, peas, and Parmesan cheese. Serve it for Christmas Eve or as an easy date night recipe.


Prosciutto pasta in grey bowl with fork

With Christmas less than a week away, what are your food traditions?

Every Christmas Eve, I make seafood Alfredo for my family in honor of the Feast Of Seven Fishes (which is similar to my broccoli Alfredo pasta but with shrimp instead of chicken).

That’s why I always associate a nice, elegant pasta recipe for the holidays.

And since not everybody loves shrimp, I wanted to change up the protein and make Prosciutto Pasta for everyone to enjoy.

It’s similar to my carbonara for two although I did a very non-Italian thing and added peas because the dish is rich and decadent.

Hence why I’m calling this Prosciutto Pasta and not Prosciutto Carbonara.

And since this pasta with prosciutto makes two servings, you can make it as an easy date night recipe at home or for your Christmas Dinner For Two.


Close up of prosciutto pasta in grey bowl with fork

What is prosciutto?

Prosciutto is Italian dry-cured ham with an earthy, nutty flavor that has a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

It’s often served on a charcuterie board for two, but you can also make it for dinner with my Prosciutto Arugula Pizza or my prosciutto pasta.

Ingredients For Prosciutto Pasta

To make your pasta with prosciutto and peas, you’ll need the following ingredients:

  • Spaghetti: You can also use another long pasta, such as linguine
  • Olive oil: Helps fry up the prosciutto, onion, and garlic
  • Prosciutto: Crispy and salty dry cured ham added to every bite
  • Onion and garlic: Aromatics that add another layer of flavor
  • Peas: Because the pasta is rich and heavy, I wanted a vegetable to balance that out.
  • Egg: Makes a creamy “sauce” without using any cream
  • Parmesan cheese: Use fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and not grated cheese from the famous green can.
  • Black pepper: Balances out the salty cheese
  • Parsley: Adds some more freshness


Package of Volpi Prosciutto

I used Volpi’s award-winning prosciutto which is made using ancient European dry-cured techniques with no shortcuts or artificial processes.

Volpi is a 4th generation family-owned and operated cured meat brand who’s been making specialty cured meats for the last 120 years. They definitely know their prosciutto!

Their products are also sustainably produced through their Raised Responsibly™ program, meaning they source their product from trusted, local Midwest family farms that adhere to their animal wellness standards.

For more information, visit the Volpi Foods website.


Pasta with prosciutto and peas in grey bowl with fork

How To Cook Prosciutto For Pasta

To make your pasta with prosciutto, first bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a handful of kosher salt then the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, roughly 8-10 minutes.

Right before draining, reserve some of the pasta water to help make the sauce later. I like to leave a measuring cup inside the colander as a reminder.

While the pasta is cooking, heat your oil in a large skillet then once hot, add the prosciutto and onion. Cook the prosciutto until crispy and onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

Once the spaghetti is cooked, add it to your skillet and stir until the noodles are coated in the oil.

Now it’s time to make the sauce! In a small bowl, whisk together your egg, Parmesan, and pasta water.

Make a well in the middle of your spaghetti then add your egg mixture, stirring quickly to cook the egg without scrambling it.

Serve with black pepper and parsley on top.


Close up of pasta with prosciutto and peas in grey bowl with fork

What To Serve With Prosciutto Pasta

Round out your pasta dinner for two with one of these side dishes:

Pasta with prosciutto and peas in grey bowl with fork

Prosciutto Pasta

Yield: 2 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

Prosciutto Pasta is an elegant pasta recipe made with prosciutto, peas, and Parmesan cheese. Serve it as an easy date night recipe.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces uncooked spaghetti
  • 1/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 2 slices prosciutto, chopped (roughly 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Ground black pepper and fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add a big handful of salt then add spaghetti. Cook as directed on the package until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. During the last minute of the pasta cooking, add the peas. Reserve 2 tablespoons pasta water then drain into colander.
  2. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the prosciutto and onion. Cook the prosciutto until crispy and onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
  3. Remove from the heat and add the hot, cooked spaghetti and peas. Stir until the noodles are coated.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, cheese, and reserved pasta water.
  5. Make a well in the middle of the spaghetti and add the egg mixture, mixing quickly until the egg is cooked. Keep stirring to avoid scrambling the egg. Serve with black pepper and parsley on top.

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you think! Rate the recipe above, leave a comment below, and/or share a photo on Instagram using #HITKrecipes

© Carla Cardello
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Pasta, Rice, + Grains

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Volpi Foods. Thank you for supporting me and the companies I work with as sponsored posts help pay for website hosting and groceries.